Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-01
DAILY HERALD.
CRUELTY TO CHILDEN.
Mrs. m. M. Reeder Convicted o
the Above Charge.

Mira. m. M. Reeder Convicted ON
the Above Charge.
When the case of Mrs. H. M. Reeder
was called yesterday morning in JUS
tice Taney's court she appeared with
her four small children, ranging from
y babe of about one year to boy Of
about ten, all shabbily xattired, but
rather bright and in plump condition.
The charge against her was cruelty to
children for neglecting to properly
provide for them. She appeared
without an attorney and wept copi-
ously while the jury was being select
ed, making no objections to any Of
the proceedings. Thd first witness
was special Officer Wright, who testi-
fed that his attention had been called
to the case and on Sunday evening he
had gone to the house and found her
away from home. Three children
were in bed, and near the head of the
bed was tin can in which burned a
candle. This was in a dangerous
position, for if one of the children had
moved in he'd it would have been
knocked off on to the floor. The chill
Clren were dirty and in bed, and there
was no food OF any kind in the house
except a small amount of rice. The con-
dition of the bedclothes and surround
ings was very dirty. Witness waited
until she came home and saw her
lying in bed with the four children.
When asked why she did not wash
the children and clothes, she said that
no one would let her have any water.
She also said that the Salvation Army
paid her rent, which was $8. The
children had not made any complaints
to him.
At this point Judge Morgan offered
to take charge of the defense.
Tho next witness was Officer Dun,
who testified that his attention was
called to the case by the cries of the
youngest child ON the 22d Of August,
about 10 O'Clock in the evening. He
looked in the window and saw the
child naked on the floor. The
mother came home about II O'Clock
at night with man who belonged to
the Salvation Army. He watched the
home all that week and every night
she came home late, always with some
male member of the Salvation Army.
Some times this man would stay in
the house until O'Clock in the morn
ing. There was but one chair in the
house, and when he had gone into
the house he had found everything
very dirty. He did not know whether
she worked or not, but had been told
that she was married. He had seen
her come home with members of the
Salvation Army and had been told
that some of the Salvationists had
S;t.a;d there with her all night.
Phil. Traub testified that for the
past six weeks the children had been
dirty and in a filthy condition. He
had seen, frequently, some of the
officers of the Salvation Army leave
the house about O'Clock in the
morning after having gone there late
at night. He had heard a Mrs.
Williams offer work to defendant at
$1.50 day, which she had refused.
He had seen the children lying on the
sidewalk in the evening covered with
n piece of mating. The mother was
away from home and the children
were afraid to go into the house. He
had also seen the little child sitting
naked on the floor at 10 O'Clock at
night, crying mamma" The moth
er had never been incapacitated as re-
CARDS work and has always been able
to walk the streets and march with
the Salvation Army. This state of af-
fairs has been existing for the past
six weeks,
w. r. Williams testified to substan-
tally the same facts, except as to the
lack of clothing on the children. The
mother had told him that the children
did not have enough to eat He had
furnished the children with food sew
eral times after the smallest boy had
told him he was hungry. Witness
had offered her work but she had said
she had ''slick job up town"
and did not want to do the
work. He had seen the children
outside of the house frequently
after 8 O'Clock in the evening. The
children had told him that the door
was locked, and that their mother
would not let them go in to the house
for fear they would set something on
fire. Several times they stayed out on
the sidewalk until 10 or II O'Clock at
night, when the mother came home
and let them into the house.
j. Williams testified to facts similar
to those given by former witnesses.
He had seen one of the members of
the Salvation Army take groceries
into the house on one occasion.
Mrs. Williams testified that she had
offered her washing, which she would
not do. The balance of her testimony
was similar to that of other witnesses.
Mrs. w. r. Williams, Jr., testified
to the same facts. Prosecution closed.
+. Lambourn testified that he had
furnished her provisions as an indi-
gent on an order from one of the
Supervisors.
@. S. Sparks testified that Mrs.
Reeder had supported her children
until within the past three months by
her own labor. He had heard her
say that she could not get water.
Mrs. Reeder testified that her hus-
hand had deserted her. She had fed
the children properly and during the
past three months she had been ill
and unable to do heavy work. She
had been paid $40 a month by the
county. Her husband had got a di-
vorce. She denied the statements of
the witnesses for the prosecution.
She had not washed for Mrs. Williams
because she was sick and the washing
was too large for the price offered.
The case was then argued and sent
to the jury, which found verdict of
guilty as charged and recommended
Mrs. Reeder to the mercy of the
Court. She will be sentenced this
morning at O'Clock.
NIiss0nri Pacific and Texas and